There are two things every beginning writer needs.\u00a0 Patience, and a very thick skin.<\/p>\n
If a writer wants to be published, sooner or later they will have to submit<\/em> their work someplace that will print it (or post it, in the case of online markets).\u00a0 And since editors and agents receive a lot of work by people who want to be published, they sometimes take a very long time responding to a submission.\u00a0 And after all that waiting, the reality is that a given work, even a great work, is likely to be rejected.\u00a0 Many times.\u00a0 By many people.\u00a0 Hence, the need for patience and a very thick skin.<\/p>\n I’ll probably come back to this topic\u00a0 in future posts with greater detail.\u00a0 But for right now, I’ve been thinking about these things because I am at this moment waiting to hear back on a book I’ve submitted.\u00a0 My years of experience and wall of rejection letters lead the pessimistic part of me to expect a response of “it’s not ready.”\u00a0 But nevertheless, I’m hopeful.\u00a0 The agent I submitted the book to has been wonderful, very supportive of me.\u00a0 He has read a partial draft and was very enthusiastic.\u00a0 I know that when he says he’ll get to it as soon as he can, he will.\u00a0 And yet…<\/p>\n That doesn’t really help, in the end.\u00a0 I still have to wait.\u00a0 I still check my email obsessively.\u00a0 I still hold my breath a little before I open the mailbox.\u00a0 I am not very patient.\u00a0 Submission has gotten easier<\/em> over the years, but it still ain’t easy.<\/p>\n